


Plans

by afteriwake



Series: Can You Keep A Secret? [7]
Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Established Wayne Rigsby/Grace Van Pelt, F/M, Family Dinners, Kissing, Meeting the Parents, Need A Drink, Phone Calls & Telephones, Plans, Plans For The Future, Relationship Discussions, Secret Relationship, Talking To Mother, Vegetarians & Vegans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-14
Updated: 2017-12-14
Packaged: 2019-02-14 13:35:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13008936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: Wayne agrees to meet Grace's mom and then dropsanothersurprise on her.





	Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Almost done posting the series! Answers the **stagesoflove** theme " _intimacy_ " for the " _five stages of love_ " set as well as " _right_ " for **au_developments**.

He knew she was getting upset before she even finished her phone call. She wasn’t upset with _him_ , or he was at least fairly sure she wasn’t, and so before she said anything he went up to her and guided her towards his kitchen, where he kept his alcohol. She hung up the phone and looked at him. “Why are we in your kitchen?”

He went over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels. “Thought you could use some of this.”

“You know me too well,” she said with a sigh, leaning against his fridge. “That was one of the most frustrating calls I’ve ever had to have.”

“What happened?” he asked, pulling down a shot glass from the same cabinet.

“My mother,” she said. “She knows I’m seeing someone, but I haven’t told her enough about you and now she wants to meet you.”

“Well, that’s…interesting.”

“Oh, it gets worse. She’s already booked a flight out here from Iowa with the express interest in meeting you this weekend.”

He paused in pouring the drink and looked at her. “Seriously?”

“She gets in on Friday,” she said, reaching over for the drink and taking the bottle from him. She poured herself a hefty shot and slammed it back before shutting her eyes.

“Well, then we’ll just have to arrange a meeting,” he said.

Her eyes flew open. “You’d meet my mother?” she asked, surprised.

“Hey, we’re only hiding our relationship from the Bureau. I have no problem with meeting your mother. I’m actually kind of surprised you didn’t tell her more about me.”

“I told her everything except the fact we work together. If I told her that she’d chew me out for risking my career.”

“If we get found out, your career will be fine,” he said quietly.

She raised an eyebrow. “How do you know?”

“Because I’d transfer to another team,” he said with a slight shrug. “Or leave the Bureau and work for the Sacramento P.D.”

Her jaw was hanging open, and she knew it, but she couldn’t close it for a moment. “You would give up your career for me?” she asked quietly. “Wayne, I would never ask you to do that.”

“You don’t have to,” he said. “To be honest, I’ve been thinking about this ever since we actually started dating. I pursued you. Wouldn’t be fair if your career is the one that ends up messed up over this.”

“Wayne,” she said softly, going up to him and touching his face. “I just…I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything,” he said, sliding his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. “Patrick already knows, and when he told you how he figured it out I got the idea that if he knows, Lisbon and Cho know, too. There needed to be something in the way of a plan if anyone else found out. So I made a plan.”

“But why didn’t you _tell_ me?”

“I just did,” he said.

She was quiet for a moment. “What if I said I’d leave?”

“Grace, you don’t have to.”

“But what if?”

“I wouldn’t let you. I’ve got an arson background, and the Sacramento P.D. has been trying to get me on their arson squad for a couple of years now. I could go, no problem. Would be kind of nice not to travel all over California for my job for a change.”

“I don’t want you to do this for me,” she said, framing his face with her hands. “If you ever leave the Bureau, I don’t want it to be for me.”

“Why not?” he asked.

“Because I…if things went wrong, I don’t want you blaming me,” she said softly.

“I would never blame you. I’m an adult, Grace. If I make a decision like that, I would never blame you if things didn’t work out.”

She let go of his face and put her arms around his neck, waiting for him to pull her closer. When he did, she spoke up. “Are you sure?” she asked, her voice muffled because she had her face buried in the side of his neck.

“I’m sure,” he said, rubbing her back lightly.

“Okay, if that’s how you really feel,” she said, “I won’t fight you on this.”

“Good.” He held her for a moment and then pushed her away slightly. She let go of him and looked at him, confusion on her face. “So…what are we going to do about your mother?”

She groaned. “I almost forgot about that.”

“I have Saturday off. You can bring her here and I’ll cook.”

“You would do that?”

“Not often I get to impress my girlfriend’s mother.”

“Just be forewarned: she likes meat. I told her you’re a vegetarian, but…” She sighed. “She likes steak.”

“Well, that might be a problem,” he said. “Is there anything she likes that doesn’t involve meat?”

She thought for a moment. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Call her and ask,” he said.

“Right now?”

“I only have a couple of days to shop. Sooner I know the better.”

She thought for a moment, and then shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck again, smiling at him. “I have other plans.”

“Really,” he said, pulling her close again.

“Yes. They involve forgetting about my mother and what might happen if we get found out and a lot less clothing than we’ve got on now.”

He laughed and leaned in to kiss her softly. When he pulled away, he said. “I think I like your plans.”

“I was hoping you would,” she said before kissing him again.


End file.
